Wellesnet Message Board

by **Jeff Wilson** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 12:19 pm

Some news on forthcoming Welles DVDs:

From Japan, The Magnificent Ambersons and The Stranger see an April 25 release. The Stranger will retail for 3800 yen, and Ambersons for 3500 yen (about $32 and $29). These are Region 2, NTSC discs.

From France, Jess Franco's version of Don Quixote gets a release on May 6. This is a Region 2, PAL format disc. No word on any extras.

by **Michael** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 1:10 am

Thanks for the info! Do you have a link or any more info on them?

Also, excuse my ignorance, are the Region 2 NTSC discs usable for us?

Thanks! Michael W.

by **Jeff Wilson** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:13 am

Region 2 discs, be they NTSC or PAL, are usable in North America if you have a player that is capable of playing them. Store bought players are usually set up for Region 1 NTSC only, but there are players available that can handle any disc from any region, and DVD-ROM drives can be made to do the same thing.

by **Michael** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:43 am

Thanks for the info!!!

MW

by **colwood** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:31 pm

Checking out Amazon's French site, they are listing the following as extras on the Franco Don Quixote disc

Bonus:
• "THE complicated HISTORY of Don Quixote" : the interview on the hazards of this project "curses"
• THE INTERVIEW of a journalist on the history, the side worship of the big novel that is Don Quixote
• Photo Gallery
• Orson Welles filmography

Retails for 24,99 Euros

So you don't think I don't know how to write, the bonus details are a direct internet translation.

by **Jeff Wilson** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 10:51 pm

I received the new Japanese Ambersons DVD today, and to be blunt, it's shit. You can see screen captures here.

by **Jeff Wilson** » Thu May 01, 2003 4:33 pm

There is a new two-disc edition of THE TRIAL coming out in France on May 27. It includes a 38 minute documentary titled "Welles, Kafka and The Trial" as well as, most intriguingly, "Les scènes inédites", or edited scenes. On the negative side, from the Amazon France listing, the film will only have French audio. While that seems unlikely, it would be unfortunate if true. Also included are the trailer, a photo gallery, and a poster gallery.

by **colwood** » Thu May 01, 2003 9:24 pm

While it doesn't look anything close to special, Amazon is now listing a new DVD of The Trial from Gotham Distribution for release on may 20, retailing for $8. This doesn't look to noteworthy (probably another public domain version) but I thought I'd mention it since it is upcoming.

by **allegra** » Sat May 03, 2003 8:22 pm

The TRIAL 2-disc French set sounds worth looking into, for several reasons, not least of all the "scènes inédites." If I may, Jeff, a quick correction: The phrase "Les scènes inédites" refers to scenes never before released, not edited scenes. Which adds to its appeal. Thanks so much for telling us about it! Hope to get it when it comes out.

by **Jeff Wilson** » Sun May 04, 2003 2:16 pm

I did mean "edited" as in cut from the film, so I think we're talking about the same thing. In further DVD affairs, last year there was a Spanish release of JOURNEY INTO FEAR under the title ESTAMBUL, which is available from e-tailers. Anybody have this and can comment on quality?

Edited By Jeff Wilson on May 04 2003 at 21:19

by **allegra** » Sun May 04, 2003 8:33 pm

Thanks, Jeff; you're right, of course. (Things are really in a sorry state when I can't navigate the nuances of my native language!)

by **Jeff Wilson** » Thu May 15, 2003 9:13 am

The new French Don Quixote disc is out, and it's okay. Picture looks fine considering the dubious quality of the source material (for which there is a brief explanation preceding the film), and looks a hundred times better than the crappy bootleg I have. Unfortunately, the disc has forced French subtitles, which are aggravating. The movie is still a boring mess however you slice it, though. There is a nice picture gallery with many shots I hadn't seen before, and the interview with Welles scholar Jean Pierre Berthome appears to cover the history and background of the film, from what I could pick up.

Edited By Jeff Wilson on May 15 2003 at 09:14

by **colwood** » Sun May 25, 2003 11:58 am

I understand the new Trial DVD from France is not out for a few days but I wanted to ask about the deleted scenes.

I found a review of the Milestone DVD at dvdfile and they make allusions to two deleted scenes, one with the Scientist (which you apparently see a quick piece of in the trailer) and one with the Archivist. Are these the scenes included on the DVD? I always thought that The Trial, like CK, was one of the only films Welles was able to release as he wanted. Anybody know why these scenes were cut?

by **Harvey Chartrand** » Sun May 25, 2003 12:16 pm

Yes, scenes were cut, but in this instance, Welles himself did the cutting. He decided to trim the picture's rather wearying length, eliminating about 20 minutes of footage of Joseph K (Anthony Perkins) dialoguing with Van Doude as a clerk/archivist and Katina Paxinou as a scientist.
Can someone confirm if these deleted scenes appear on the new French DVD of Le Procès/The Trial?
Incidentally, Perkins enjoyed being directed by Welles, but he thought The Trial was a bit of a mess.

by **colwood** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:53 am

Has anyone ordered and received the Le Proces/Trial 2-disc French DVD set yet? Your thoughts (if you have received it)?

Harvey, thanks for the info.

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